Finally, the strongest member of the Spriggan 12 is about to make her debut as Irene and her two subordinates, Hynhe and Juliet. Apparently, the mage with the monicker of "Despair" was a resident of Fiore which led to theories of her and Erza being mother and child.
Last chapter, the combined forces of the Fiore guilds finally warded off all of Alvarez empire minions out of the Hargeon region. Many were seriously injured, including Erza, but thanks to Wendy's healing magic, she was able to regain consciousness.
Meanwhile, Jellal and the others advanced to help other regions of Magnolia to get rid of the remaining enemies. Scene shifted to Chelia, who sacrificed her ability to use magic permanently to save Wendy's life and defeat Dimaria, was comforted by Leon.
Back on the Fairy Tail camp, they were able to capture Dimaria while her colleague, Brandish is willing to help the guild negotiate with August to avoid further bloodshed. However, she warned the members that it will be a one-time deal and that would be the first and last time they will help them as she is still loyal to her country.
Brandish also warned everyone that they should be careful with Irene as she is the only one that can match August's magic potency but the difference is she shares no personal relationship with her. August, on the other hand, is like a family as they have known each other since she was small.
Scene shifted to the mountain of Zonia, where Irene and her two companions discussed the black and white angel that once battled in that location. In the last panel, a clash between Irene and Gajeel's squad is imminent in the next chapter.
Fans over at Manga Helpers believe that Irene is Erza's mother for their uncanny resemblance. Also, the time when Irene left and Erza growing up without a parent fit the puzzle. Fans over at Reddit speculate on the potential result of Irene and Gajeel's group clashing in the next chapter as Mirajane may just reveal why she is an S-class wizard and unveil a new demon transformation. However, fans believe that they will ultimately lose to the overwhelming power of Irene and her two lackeys.
Here is a recap of the previous chapter.